Letters from readers: Climate change, unintended effect

Saturday

Regarding The Times-Union's editorial on climate change, we can all agree the Earth's climate changes.

Are we facing a period of warming that might threaten our very existence? Hardly seems likely. We are an adaptable species, having survived many turbulent climate periods.

The fact that our climate has been changing for eons has been discarded for a belief that every deadly weather event and every change in our natural surroundings is our fault because we figured out how to use fossil fuels.

Climate change has became an opportunity for many scientists, environmentalists and misguided politicians to shape this nation's energy policies, impose their will on our lifestyles and push rules that strangle America's economy.

It's worthwhile to back common-sense energy policies. But when you open this Pandora's Box, many outcomes will be more onerous than we bargained for.

Wayne Mattox, Orange Park

CLIMATE CHANGE

Denial isn't a solution

We are having record droughts, fires, floods and tornadoes.

Yet, one never hears or reads the media use the words "climate change."

Surely all of those who work in these industries are not climate change deniers, even if the owners are.

I do not think these phenomena are going to go away but by continuing to be disingenuous perhaps the media will.

And we will still have the changing climate.

Jay Huebner, research professor,

Jacksonville

OBAMA AND DEBT

Real leaders act

While President Barack Obama amused himself by visiting his "Irish homeland," he could have learned something from his Irish brethren - how real leaders respond to a crisis.

Ireland's national debt is 105 percent of its economy. The U.S. is at 93 percent.

Ireland required a bailout.

Standard & Poors has warned the U.S. that its credit rating is at risk.

Ireland is holding its corporate tax rate at 12.5 percent; the U.S. rate, second highest in the world, is 35 percent.

Neither Obama nor the Democrats in Congress have proposed meaningful reforms to address the looming crisis. The Republicans have.

Eric Heinton, Fleming Island

DOWNTOWN AND EVERBANK

Casinos the answer

Here we go again.

We give a development group $3.5 million for a parking garage and the taxpayers have no ownership interest. What a rotten deal for us.

A lame duck City Council should not be acting on deals now that will cost the taxpayers $6.6 million. We should not be paying Everbank $2.7 million of our tax money to pay for their moving expenses.

If Everbank wants to move downtown, let them pay their own moving expenses.

How many of these downtown schemes have worked out?

I know how to revitalize downtown. Just sell the shipyard property to a casino. There would be more development than we could handle and make millions of dollars of profit from the sale of the land and all of the tax revenue that would flow in. Cost to the taxpayers: Not one dime.

Wendell Welman, Jacksonville

DOWNTOWN

Contagious enthusiasm

I smell synergy for the city. Even before "Downtown Alvin Brown" takes office, there is cautious optimism because of ongoing initiatives like the courthouse, Laura Street, Everbank, a consolidated transportation center and possibly the Laura Street Trio.

Commercial lending is showing some signs of life. I am pleased because leaders recognize the importance of downtown, even though some City Council members were reluctant to provoke their district constituents with their "us-and-them thinking."

I hope the Chamber's Expo at the Hyatt with its downtown theme will be successful.

Mayor John Peyton was right when he said: "It is key. Bringing jobs and housing to downtown is essential to our post-recession recovery."

We must actively recruit young talented residents, not just from around town, but from across the country. They are the entrepreneurs, the workforce and the mentors to our own neighborhoods.

Yes, it is really about jobs and education as well as core revitalization.

Dicker Jackson, Jacksonville

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